Process and machine for breaking scale on continuously moving strip



July 23, 1968 F. UNGERER PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR BREAKING SCALE 0N CONTINUOUSLY MOVING STRIP Fi led Feb. 28, 1966 MEANS FOR VARYING FREQUENCY MEANS FOR VARYING AMPLITUDE MEANS FOR VARYING OSCILLATING INVENTOR IRMA UNGERER,ADMINISTRATR!X United States Patent ()lfice 3,393,434 Patented July 23, 1968 3,393,434 PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR BREAKING SCALE N CONTINUOUSLY MOVING STRIP Fritz Ungerer, deceased, late of Pforzlieim, Germany, by Irma Ungerer, sole heir, Pforzheim, Germany, assignor to Irma Ungerer, Pforzheim, Germany Filed Feb. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 534,281 7 Claims. (Cl. 29-81) This invention relates to a machine for breaking the scale on continuously moving strip.

When sheet metal ingots are hot-rolled into strip, flakes of scale are formed on the strip and have an adverse efr'ect on the further processing of the same because they are impressed into the surface of the strip and mar the same when the strip is being rolled further and straightened. The resulting strip does not meet the high present-day requirements for sheet metal working. For this reason, the strip has been moved through preliminary straightening machines, in which the scale is broken by an undulatory movement. This action has not been completely successful. Besides, the succeeding rolls impress the broken scale back into the strip. Strip has also been moved through a slot in a vertically reciprocating gate. This operation requires high accelerating forces and a relatively large expenditure of energy at a low flexing frequency so that the strip throughput is small. Thus, a satisfactory solution to this problem has not yet been found.

This disadvantage is eliminated by the machine according to the present invention. The machine serves for breaking scale on continuously moved strip, which is subjected to alternating flexing by moving through a slot in a moved gate, and is characterized in that the gate formed with the passage slot performs an angular motion about said slot with an adjustable amplitude and adjustable frequency, the gate having preferably a vertical axis of rotation and the strip being passed through said slot on edge while being supported on rollers. Compared to the known reciprocating gates for breaking scale, this arrangement has the important advantage that much smaller accelerating forces are required for moving the gate so that the flexing frequency of the continuously moved strip can be increased accordingly. At a given flexing frequency, a much higher speed can be attained. This is important in view of the high strip speeds which are now employed. This alternating motion of the strip at a high frequency with an intense local flexing results in a satisfactory breaking of the scale, which is not pressed back onto the strip by succeeding rolls but can be blown off and sucked off or falls down from strip moved with a vertical orientation so that the scale can then be collected by sucking.

Embodiments of the scale breaking machine according to the invention are shown by way of example on the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views showing an embodiment in which the strip is moved in a horizontal orientation, with the gate in two ditferent positions.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing another embodiment in which the strip is moved with a vertical orientation.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the strip 1 is moved with a horizontal orientation through a slotted gate 2, which is preceded and succeeded by guides 3, 4, respectively. These guides are defined by members which have confronting generally vertical surfaces which converge toward the strip. As is apparent from the drawing, this gate performs an angular motion having an adjustable angular amplitude A and an adjustable frequency so that the strip 1 is subjected to strong flexing at a high frequency. The broken scale may then be blown off and sucked off.

As is shown in FIG. 3, the strip 5 may be moved through a rotary gate 6, which is preceded and succeeded by guides 7, 8, respectively, and which has a vertical slot. The strip 5 is moved on rollers 9 and the gate 6 performs an angular motion about a vertical axis of rotation. In this case, the broken scale falls down directly and can be sucked off or collected.

What is claimed is:

1. A process of breaking scale on a continuously moving strip, comprising the steps of continuously advancing such strip in a predetermined direction through a slot in a gate member; and imparting to the gate member an angular oscillatory motion of a high frequency about an axis passing through the slot transversely of said predetermined direction, whereby to eifect continuously changing fleXure of the strip during movement of the same.

2. A process as defined in claim 1; and further comprising the step of varying the amplitude of angular motion of said gate member.

3. A process as defined in claim 1; and further comprising the step of varying the frequency of oscillation of said gate member.

4. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said axis about which gate member angularly oscillates is a substantially vertical axis, the step of advancing said strip comprising supporting the strip on edge.

5. Apparatus for breaking scale on a continuously moving strip, comprising, in combination, a gate member provided with an elongated slot located in a given plane and being mounted for angular movement about an axis extending transversely of the elongation of said slot substantially in said plane; feed means operative for continuously feeding strip through said slot in the direction of elongation of the latter; means for imparting to said gate member angular oscillatory high frequency movement about said axis; means operatively associated with said gate member for varying the amplitude of angular movement of said gate member; and additional means operatively associated with said gate member for varying the frequency of angular movement of said gate member.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said slot is bounded by two spaced substantially parallel surfaces located at opposite sides of strip moving through said slot, said surfaces being spaced from one another at such a distance as to alternately engage the respective opposite sides of the moving strip in response to angular oscillatory movement of said gate member about said axis.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said gate member is mounted so that said axis is substantially vertical; and further comprising roller means arranged to support said strip on edge for movement through said slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 874,692 12/ 1907 Lindstrand 2981 2,163,504 6/1939 Thomas 298l 2,913,808 11/1959 Thomas et al 29-81 2,913,809 11/ 1959 Bongiovanni 2981 FOREIGN PATENTS 347,194 1/ 1922 Germany.

LOUIS O. MAASSEL, Primary Examiner. 

5. APPARATUS FOR BREAKING SCALE ON A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING STRIP, COMPRISING, IN COMBUSTION, A GATE MEMBER PROVIDED WITH AN ELONGATED SLOT LOCATED IN A GIVEN PLANE AND BEING MOUNTED FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE ELONGATION OF SAID SLOT SUBSTANTIALLY IN SAID PLANE; FEED MEANS OPERATIVE FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING STRIP THROUGH SAID SLOT IN THE DIRECTION OF ELONGATION OF THE LATTER; MEANS FOR IMPARTING TO SAID GATE MEMBER ANGULAR OSCILLATORY HIGH FREQUENCY MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID AXIS; MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID GATE MEMBER FOR VARYING THE AMPLITUDE OF ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE MEMBER; AND ADDITIONAL MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID GATE MEMBER FOR VARYING THE FREQUENCY OF ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID GATE MEMBER. 